Milwaukee Bucks coach Doc Rivers frustrated with Giannis Antetokounmpo feud

• Bucks coach Doc Rivers expressed frustration that Giannis Antetokounmpo’s desire to play despite injury is a public issue.
• Antetokounmpo has publicly stated he feels healthy enough to play after being sidelined with a knee hyperextension.
• Rivers believes coaches should not have to publicly answer for medical decisions they do not make.

Milwaukee Bucks head coach Doc Rivers expressed dismay over the public nature of star Giannis Antetokounmpo’s frustration with the team over not being able to play following a hyperextension of his left knee on March 15.

Antetokounmpo had been ruled out since the Bucks’ game against Cleveland on March 17 through their loss to Boston on April 3. Before the game, Antetokounmpo spoke publicly for the first time about being held out despite his belief that he is healthy. He repeated that he is available and doesn’t understand why he can’t play, and noted that he had gone through live workouts in the hopes of being cleared.

After the game, Rivers was asked what he had been told about Antetokounmpo’s progress to a return.

“I’ve been told the same thing,” Rivers said of the workouts.

He then took issue with the fact he has had to answer questions about Antetokounmpo’s availability, or lack thereof.

“The tough part of all this is I’m in the middle and I have nothing to do with it,” Rivers continued. “Coaches don’t decide any of this, but the problem with our league is the coaches are the ones sitting out front and we have to sit here and answer this stuff. And I think there are two sides to this. I will tell you that, but I don’t want to get too involved in it. I talk to Giannis all the time about what he should be working on. Literally, I stay right there in that zone about things that I think he needs to add to his game and that’s it. I decided long ago that’s not for me to get involved in the rest of this stuff. I don’t like it though. I don’t.

“I think this is a grown man’s game and it should be handled that way by everybody. So I don’t like when it’s this ‘he said, she said’ stuff, it’s not good. So, just from that seat, the fact that I have to sit up here and keep addressing it, it bothers me. And we need to do something about it.”

The Journal Sentinel reported that the NBA, along with the National Basketball Players Association, has interviewed Antetokounmpo and members of the organization to determine if the two-time MVP is indeed healthy, and when asked about those conversations Rivers quickly demurred.

“Again, I wouldn’t know any of that,” he said. “That’s the point I’m trying to make. The league, they’re not gonna call me about this. They know I have no decision-making in this. And if they have decided to start talking to us, this is the first I’ve heard it. So, I don’t even know that. Nor should I, nor should I, but I just don’t like that this is so public. And it shouldn’t be. This is where grown men get in a room and they talk it out. Whether they agree or disagree, that doesn’t matter. But this should not be in public. And I don’t like that.”

Finally, Rivers was asked if he held any concern that the dispute would affect the team’s relationship with Antetokounmpo. For his part, Antetokounmpo said he did not like the situation but didn’t go so far as to say it would be permanently damaging.

“You know, I don’t know,” Rivers said. “I have a great relationship with him. I know that part. Literally we talk most every day, or every day that we can around each other. So, I think there’s a lot for business to be done and, you know, I’m out of the business of trying this subliminal messaging or all that crap. I’ve heard all the stuff. I just want everybody to be on the same side. ‘Cause they deserve it. All of ‘em. I don’t think there’s a bad person in this group, none of the guys that I’m talking about. I do. I think they’re all good people. But we gotta figure out how to put good people on the same page and it stays inside. I’ve never been a fan of negotiating in the media. I don’t think it’s good for anybody.”

Giannis Antetokounmpo speaks on being held out by Bucks: ‘I’m available’

Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo speaks on being held out by the team for an injury he suffered on March 15: ‘I’m available’